Shipping case



Aprii 15 1924. 7 1,490,558

J. H. DUNNING SHIPPING CASE Filed Nov. 25, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR mwgw April 15 1924. I 1,490,558

J. H. DUNNING SHIPPING CASE Filed Nov. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7;? 5

IN VEN TOR BY l A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

I i T is; S T

TES

JAMES H. nuivnrne, or RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

snrrrrns oAsn.

Application filed November 23, 1922. Serial No. 602,706.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H.DUNNING, citizen of the United States, and resident of Ridgewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping gases, of which the following is a specifica- IOIl.

This invention relates to boxes and has for its object to provide a case or shipping container which can be reused, wherein in creased strength, protection against theft and compactness will be obtained as compared with the common variety of shipping cases now in use.

Of the various kinds of cases in common use, few other than expensive devices such as trunks are intended for reuse, and few are thief-proof. This is especially true of wooden cases of the cleated type, the most common of which has the cleats on the outside and depends for protection of the contents against theft on metal strapping at the ends. These cases are commonly made of tongued and grooved boards,.and a simple way of opening same is by sliding one or more boards out after withdrawing the nails. This permits the contents to be removed. and upon replacing and renailing the removed boards, evidence of the case having been opened during shipment is practically impossible to be discerned. A shipping case constructed to prevent such sliding of one or more of the boards, is in itself something much desired by shippers at the present time, and case having that advantage as well as other advantages of being knockdown, and adapted to be closed so as to compress the contents will be of much utility to shippers of goods in cases.

The present invention attains these objects in providing, first, a case of the cleated type complying with all Interstate Commerce Commission specifications which cannot be opened by sliding; which may be knock-down for convenience in shipment when empty; and having a closure adapted to compress the contents and having fastening devices permitting of easy sealing. The result is that a case is produced which is practically thief-proof, because a board cannot be slid out and then replaced without detection and a consignee will refuse to receive a case from the carrier having a broken seal, while the use of metal strapping is dispensed with. The invention is shown herein in preferred form embodied in a knock-clown case of the cleated type, but in its broad aspects is not to be confined to such type.

In the accompanying drawings,

b Fig. 1 is an assembly view of the improved Fig. 2 is a section through the box with the four sides -olded together,

Fig. 3 shows the top of the box folded with the inner faces together,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4:"4: of is Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig.

Fig. 6 shows a line on the section of 6-6 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing the means for sealing the box; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 1.

For the purposes of illustration the present invention is shown as being embodied in a collapsible box whose sides 10 and 11 are adapted to be folded against one an other to occupy a small space for shipping as shown in Fig. 2.

The four sides are hinged as shown, for example in Fig. 6, the hinges comprising interlocked staples 12 driven into the adjacent edges of the side members. \Vhen the box is made of wood, or other materials. the various side members may be formed of several strips 13 secured to the cross strips by cleats 14 and made into a rigid structure. lVhen the box is made of other material than wood it will obviously be desirable to use other types of hinges to bring the adjacent edges contiguous. instead of using the staples as shown. When the top 15 and bottom member 16 are removed, the four I side members being joined may be folded fiat with their inner faces together as shown in Fig. 2 for occupying a minimum space in shipment. The upper and lower edges of the opposite sidemembers 11 are provided with aninwardly extended flange 17,.whioh in the present (embodiment is illustratedas being an angle-iron secured to the inner face of the side members 11 for retaining the top andbottom members. 15 and 16 in position. The angle-iron 17 is braced to each of the strips 13 by rivets, or other fastoning means inserted from the inside so as to prevent one or more of the strips being slid out in case the nails driven through the cleats and strips have been withdrawn from the outside. Instead of making the top and bottom members rigid units. as are the sides, it is desirable to make these members 15 and 16 collapsible or hinged so as to be capable of compressing the goods contained within the box on closing. Fig. 3 shows the top15 folded with the inner faces of the two parts together. These top and bottom sides may be similarly built up of longitudinal strips 18 and crossed strips or cleats 19 respectively. lVith the two parts of the top closure 15 folded, the end portions slide under the flanges 17 by pressing down upon the fold or hinged portion of the cover.

The trouble with many packing boxes today is-their failure to be thief-proof, for example, a thief may withdraw one or more nails extending through the cleats and strips 13 on any side of the box and slide one or more of these strips out to permit access to the inside of the box, after which these strips may be putbaek and the nails driven in their former holes to give the box the appearance of having been untouched. In the present invention the strips 13 have their ends exposed on only two sides; one pair of sides have the ends of the strips 13 covered by the top and bottom members and thus prevent removal of one or more of the strips even if the nails be withdrawn as indicated. The top and bottom sides in turn are protected by the end members or sides having the angle-iron 17 secured thereto, which sides and angle-iron extend over the ends of the strips. The exposed ends of the strips 13 in these end members or sides having the angleircn secured thereto are protected in the manner previously referred to by having the strips 13 and angle-irons fastened from the. inside.

To retain the cover in position a reinforcing strip 20, preferably of steel or other durable material, is located on the top member 15 so as to span the fold. Rods 21 project through the reinforcing member and are provided with nuts 22 or other means to retain the top in position. From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the member 20 is secured to one portion of the top in such a manner as to not interfere with the two portions being folded together. The rods 21 may extend tnrough the sides 10 and may cooperate with a similar reinforcing member 23 on the bottom. For convenience in clamping the top and bottom in position, nuts 22 may be used and by having the opposite ends of either rod perforated as at 24 and provided with a seal 25, as shown in Fig. 7, the box may be conveniently sealed from access. From Fig. 7 it will also be seen that the cross strips 19 are of such a height as to extend above the top of the rod 21 and nut 22 and thereby prevent the weight of the box from bending or marring the nuts 22 or end of the rod 21. From Fig. 8 it will be seen that the rod 21 extends down through the side members 10 between the longitudi nal strips 13 and cross pieces 1-1 in a. position where it is free from likelihood of being bent and yet not located within the box to take up needless room.

Among the advantages of the present invention may be enumerated the simplicity of construction and rigid bracing contributing to make the box of substantial and durable thief-proof construction. A special advantage of the present construction resides in the provision of a covering or protecting means for the ends of the strips 13 on all except two sides of the box, and on these two sides the provision of an interior securing means for these strips 13 prevents the possibility of one or more of them being withdrawn. Having the top in two parts and foldable as illustrated, the top may be placed in position when the contents of the box require compressing. The reinforcing and retaining strip 20 holds the top down with its two parts in extended position. The rods 21, together with the opposite strips 20 and 23 mutually serve as a bracing means and may take the place of metal banding frequently used to wrap packing boxes. Not only is the median portion of the top and bottom braced, but the flanges 17 extending over the opposite ends of the top and bottom members securely hold them in position and prevent any undue weight within the box from springing open one of the ends of the top or bottom when the rods 21 extend through perforations in the reinforcing member 20 and 23 in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The rods with the reinforcing member may also serve to prevent the top or bottom from sliding out of position over either of the side members 10. It is easy to open this box in any position it may be placed since either the top or bottom may be removed and are interchangeable. The consignee is able to tell whether the box has been opened or tampered, with by merely looking at the seal. The ease and facility of opening and locking the box is accom plished without the use of nails, or any other means tending to damage the box.

While the invention has been illustrated as being applied to a collapsible box, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited. Also, veneer, metal or other ma terials may be used in constructing this box.

'I claim:

1. A box having cleated sides built up of a plurality of strips, the strips of one pair of sides running transversely to the strips of another pair of sides and extending over the ends of the strips of said other pair of sides, a third pair of cleated sides extending over the ends of the strips of the first mentioned pair of sides, and means inside the strips of said third pair of sides for preventing re- .moval of one of the strips in the last mentioned pair of sides from the outside thereof.

2. A box provided with a removable cover transversely foldable and adapted when ex tended for cooperation with the ends of said box, a reinforcing strip secured to the cover adjacent to and adapted to bridge said fold and retain the cover in position, and side bars adapted to be secured to each end of said reinforcing strip and form a rigid frame for said box.

3. A box provided with a removable cover transversely hinged and adapted when ex tended for cooperation with the ends of the box, the bottom of the box being of a construction similar to the cover, reinforcing strips secured to the bottom and cover adjacent their hinged portions, each reinforcing strip being adapted to span said hinged portions and retain the cover and bottom in posltion, side bars JOlnlllg ad acent ends of the reinforcing strips and passing within the side members of the box.

4-. A box closure made in two parts hinged transversely in the central portion thereof, and adapted to be folded flat with their inner faces together, a reinforcing strip permanently secured to one of said parts and adapted to cooperate with the other part and to hold said closure in extended posi tion, means on the end of said strip for clamping the same to a box, said closure being adapted for attachment to a box by an outward movement of the longitudinal ends of the closure upon pressing down the hinged portion. 4

5. A collapsible box provided with hinged sides adapted to be folded fiat, a removable cover transversely hinged and adapted for cooperation when extended with the ends of the box, a metal reinforcing strip secured to said cover and adapted to bridge the hinged portion, the top edges of the ends of the box being provided with angle-irons secured thereto, and under which the cover is held, bars disposed within the sides of the box and adapted to be securedto said reinforcing strip, cross members, of greater thickness than the height of said side bars above the reinforcing strip, being secured to the cover, and means for securing the side bars to the reinforcing strip to close the box, and means for sealing the box when closed.

6. A. box provided with cleate'd sides and ends, and composed of a number of strips joined by cleats, a removable cover transversely hinged of cleated construction adapted for cooperation when extended with the ends of the box, said cover extending over the sides of the box, the top edges of the ends of the box being provided with angle-irons secured from the inside to each of the strips forming said ends, and under sides having the strips vertically disposed,

another pair of sides being provided with angle-irons along the top and bottom edges of each side, the top and bottom members being adapted to slide under the angle irons and also being of cleated construction with their strips extending longitudinally between the angle-irons, said top and bottom members also being of a width to overlap the strips of the first mentioned pair of sides and prevent the removal of such strips,

the angle-irons being secured to the inside of the second mentioned pair of sides and adapted to prevent removal of the strips in the top and bottom members.

8. A collapsible shipping case having six sides, four of said sides being hinged, the top and bottom members being removable and provided with reinforcing strips adjacent the central portions thereof, side bars 'oinin said stri s assin within the outside face of the sides along which said bars extend.

9. A collapsible box having its end mem bers provided with braces secured inside said end members and adapted for cooperation with the outside of the top and bottom members, top and bottom members projecting over the edges of the sides intermediate the end members and being hinged in the central portion thereof, the end edges of the top and bottom members being outwardly slidable under said braces, and means for clamping down the hinged portions of said top and bottom members with their end edges under said braces.

10. A collapsible box having hinged sides adapted to be folded flat, a removable cover transversely foldable and adapted when extended for cooperation with the ends of said box, a reinforcing strip secured to the cover adjacent and adapted to bridge said fold and retain the cover in position, side bars adapted to be secured to each end of said reinforcing strip and form a rigid frame for said box.

11. A shipping case provided with a num- 12. A box having cleated sides built up of a plurality of strips, the strips of one pair of sides running transversely to the strips of another pair of sides and extending over the ends of the strips of said other pair of sides a third pair of oleated sides extending over the ends of the strips of the first mentioned pair of sides, and a bracing member secured to each of sald strlps 1n each of said third mentioned sides on the 10 inner faces thereof inside the box and extending transversely across said strips to prevent removal of any one of them from the outside.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of November, A. D. 1922.

JAMES H. DUNNING. 

